Before Dawn
by The Last Ronin
Summary: Sequel to "Somewhere Out There". Killian is finally back in Storybrooke but he no longer rembers Emma and she's tired of waiting. Shaking free of the grief that has held her since she watched her pirate "die" she's determined to finally get her happy ending and anyone who gets in her way is going to find out real fast that it's a bad idea to get between soul mates.
1. Welcome to Storybrooke

And we're back with more insanity! Part three of this little tale…perhaps the last part but who knows! We'll just have to see where this goes.

When we last left our heroes…wait, what am I doing? I'm not doing a recap…go read "Shattered" and "Somewhere Out There" if you've stumbled upon this without reading those first!

As always, Enjoy!

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"Step away from the lass mate," Killian steps forward, inching his sword closer to my father's neck.

David, for his part takes it all in stride and slowly raises his hands, moving away from me as instructed. All I can do is stare. It's him. I knew it. I knew it! He has a couple new scars but it's him!

"Killian," I breathe, finally able to get my voice working again as I shakily get to my feet, "Killian."

"You ok lass?" He asks, not taking his eyes off David for a second, "Did this bastard hurt you?"

I blink, stunned back into silence as I finally register his words, what he's saying…what they mean. He doesn't recognize David.

Swallowing heavily, I step in front of him, gently pushing the sword away from my father. My pirate's gaze finds mine, confusion written on his face and I both step towards him and recoil at the same time, shocked by what I see behind the confusion.

I feel like ice water has been injected into my veins; goose bumps pebble my skin and I shiver. My insides twist into knots and my knees begin to shake as his eyes stay locked with mine. There's no recognition in them at all. He…he doesn't know me.

The man before me is clearly Killian but he's not _my_ Killian. He's not the man I love. He's someone I've heard about in stories but never met before…not really at least. The darkness in this man's heart surrounds him like a visible aura and washes off him in waves that are physically painful to be near.

I rock back on my heels, inhaling sharply, tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I'm so God damn tired of crying! But every time I get so much as a glimpse of what I want – of my happy ending – it gets yanked away again. Why is it that every single time I allow myself to hope I end up with my heart broken?

This man isn't my Killian.

This man is Captain Hook.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"I just don't see why we still have to patrol the town border is all," the dwarf grumbles, for the moment fully living up to his name, "I mean, no one's gotten in in years."

"Leroy, you know that's not why we're here," I sigh – not for the first time wishing I was back at the dinner instead of tramping through the forest.

"Yeah, yeah, I know Ruby. But we all know not to cross the line at this point. I don't see why…"

"Quiet!" I snap at the dwarf, inhaling deeply and nearly gagging as an all too familiar scent assaults me, "I hear something...and I smell blood."

"What? Where?" He's all business now and I can't help but smile at his one eighty.

"This way," I hurry through the trees, aware that we're heading towards the road…and the town line, "it's close."

We step from the woods, the scent stronger than ever and I break into a run as I see someone slumped across the road, just barely on our side of the town line. Leroy jogs up next to me and we peer down at the figure – a boy from the looks of it.

"Who is this?" He asks, rolling the boy over and then jumping back with a yell as he sees the gaping hole in the boy's head.

"I don't know," I cover my nose and grimace, already on my cell phone to call the hospital, "but he's alive."


	2. Homecoming

And here we go with chapter one!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love hearing from you guys so if you're reading this please take a minute to let me know what you think!

As always, enjoy!

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"Are you going to be ok?" My dad asks me as we pull up to my apartment. He'd been a bit nervous about taking me home but there's no way I'm going back to the hospital again. I'm fine, really I don't need a babysitter. A brief argument and an equally brief call had my mom arranging for my official discharge with the promise to meet up as soon as she was done.

I sigh because this is the fourth or fifth time he's asked me that but I just can't find it in me to be irritated with him. After the last several years I can't really blame him for being worried – I've caused him enough problems after all. Admittedly there's a part of me that had expected both him and Mom to leave once the realized I was more trouble than I was worth but they didn't and I'm still having trouble processing that fact; though the tears my eyes are threatening seem to suggest I'm glad that they stayed.

"I'm fin…," I stop myself and swipe at my eyes, "I'm going to be fine. For now I just want to take a shower and put some of my own clothes on…maybe get something decent to eat."

Abruptly he reaches over and pulls me into a tight hug, pressing his lips against my forehead as he does. At first I'm stunned by the gesture but slowly I relax and my arms creep around him as my lips pull up in a smile. I could get used to this whole 'having a family' thing.

"I'm glad you're getting better," he says quietly before pulling back to look me in the eyes, "but your mother and I are staying with you tonight at least…and probably for a few days."

I'm nodding before I even realize it and another wave of surprise shoots through me. Not surprise that they're staying but surprise that I had expected it…wanted it even and that realization makes my smile even bigger.

**x-x-x-x-x**

A groan falls from my lips as I step under the hot spray of my own shower for the first time in ages and I nearly melt into a puddle of goo right there. God I've missed this; I haven't had much more than sponge baths the past few years – largely due to Dr. Whale and Archie being unwilling to allow me that much alone time; rightfully so I suppose. Even if it had been necessary, I'm so glad that it's over now.

Another groan spills from my mouth as I turn the water even hotter. I feel like years of dirt and grime and blood and sweat and tears are all being washed away by the water despite the fact that I'm not really all that dirty. Slowly I sink to the floor, unaccustomed to this sudden lightness I feel. And I do feel lighter for some reason: as if some weight I never realized I'd been carrying is suddenly gone.

It's quite a liberating feeling and with that liberation I have room to feel other things.

The strongest by far is anger.

My breath escapes from between my clenched teeth as a menacing hiss. My hands curl into fists that have my nails digging sharply into my palms and my body begins to shake. Once while I was in the hospital I'd felt anger like I'd never felt before and even that can't compare to what I'm feeling now. Compared to this, I was downright happy in the hospital. This, however, is something new…something I can't classify.

Someone is fucking with my life.

And I really don't like it.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Feel a little better?" My mother asks as I emerge from my bedroom, glad to be in my own clothes again, and hands me a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon.

"Much," I smile at her and accept the drink before taking a seat at the table, "I feel like I can breath again for the first time in a long time."

"I'm glad to hear it," she smiles and sits next to me, her shoulder bumping mine as she takes a sip of her own hot chocolate. Yet another wave of surprise hits me - when are those going to stop? -, this time because of how much I…want her to be a little clingy. This is something else I've never felt before…or at least I don't think I have…and it's odd that it doesn't scare me like it once would have.

"Where's Dad?" I ask, cupping my mug in both hands, enjoying both the warmth and the chocolatey aroma.

My mother abruptly sets down her hot chocolate with a small bang, some of the liquid sloshing onto the table, and stares at me, mouth agape.

"Mom?" I ask and her eyes widen. I barely manage to get my own mug set down before the smaller woman launches herself at me, her arms wrapping me in a hug that's surprisingly strong considering her slight frame, "Mom? What's wrong?"

"Nothing Emma," she says and it sounds like she's…crying? "I'm just surprised, and happy,…you never used to call us Mom and Dad."

I can't help but feel a bit guilty at her statement and I hurry to return the embrace. A second later the door swings open and my dad walks in carrying a large take out box. What did he do? Raid Granny's?

"Hey, what did I miss?" He asks, nudging the door shut with his foot before toeing off his shoes and depositing his package on the table.

My mother reaches out a hand to him and the next thing I know I'm being squashed between the two of them. A smile spreads across my face as my parents hug me tightly and the earlier feeling returns with a name and the realization that I have felt it before: I feel needy. It's not an unfamiliar feeling by far – I grew up with it after all – but rather it's that I now have people to satisfy that need that is still somewhat foreign to me. I don't dislike it though and as I allow myself to sink into their embrace I realize that I never want to go back to the way I was again.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I was right. My dad _had_ raided Granny's. Omelets, pancakes, french toast, home fries, coffee, sausage, bacon, ham, fruit and holy fuck I was in breakfast Heaven. We dug in in an amazing free-for-all that had us all smiling and laughing by the time we finished and I couldn't help wondering if this is how it would have been like to grow up with my parents…if there hadn't been a curse. But then I wouldn't have ever had Henry…and I may never have met…

As if the mere thought of my son had sent out some sort of psychic bat signal, there's a knock on the door a moment later. I look at my parents and they both shrug as I get up to see who's outside. The door is barely open when a brown haired boy tackles me, his arms circling me in a breath stealing hug.

"Henry," I murmur once I can breathe again and wrap my own arms around him.

"I'm glad you're better Mom," he says into my shirt and I realize how much he's grown over the past several years…he's almost as tall as I am. Other than his height, though, he hasn't changed much from what I can see. He still has that boyish, infectious, grin on his face. I hadn't realized how much I missed seeing him.

"I'm getting there kid," I say quietly and his grin falters for a second, "still have to re-adjust."

He opens his mouth to say something else but is interrupted by a phone ringing. We all look at one another before my dad jumps up with a curse.

"Sorry, that's me," he smiles sheepishly.

He answers the call and I try not to eavesdrop but I can't help noticing the way his shoulders stiffen and his mouth sets into a thin line. When his eyes flicker up to me I know that my little welcome home party is over and I sigh.

"You up for a trip?" He asks quietly, covering the phone. I nod and he returns to the call, "We'll be there in fifteen mintues. Have to run to the station first."

I disentangle myself from Henry and grab my favorite jacket as my mom drifts over to join us.

"What's wrong?" She asks as my dad ends the call and grabs his own jacket and keys.

"Someone was hurt by the town line and I need to go see what's going on. We shouldn't be long," he leans in to kiss my mother and, waving goodbye, we head out.

The trip to the station is made in silence and by the time we get there I'm ready to explode from curiosity.

"So why am I here?" I ask as I watch my dad rumage in his desk – more than a little surprised that he's not moved into my old office.

"Well," he starts, holding out two small objects to me, "doesn't the Sheriff normally respond to these sorts of calls?"

I stare at what he's holding: my gun and my badge. Surely he can't mean…I look up at him.

"You never officially quit," he smiles, "and neither I nor anyone else was going to take your job unless you did."

Well, I guess that means vacation is officially over. With a sigh I take my gun and badge, clipping both onto my belt.

"Fine. Now are you going to tell me what's going on?" I ask as we head towards the door and the cruiser parked outside.

"Ruby and Leroy found someone hurt pretty bad over by the town line," he says as we get in the vehicle and pull out, heading for the hospital, "someone they didn't recognize."

"Ok, and?" He's obviously holding something back.

"And Dr. Whale is concerned about how the kid was injured," my dad scraches the back of his head absently, "or, more specificlly, what caused the injury."

"And what would that be?" I ask though my gut is already telling me the answer…something that's confirmed the moment my dad looks at me.

"Dr. Whale is almost certain that the injury was caused by a hook."

It doesn't take a genius to see where this is going. If the injury was caused by a hook then it could only have been caused by a single person in Storybrooke. A single pirate – who had just happened to reappear the same night this happened.

Captain Hook.

Yup, vacation is over alright.


	3. Headaches

First off I apologize for the amount of time since the last update – I've been busy with a combination of work, being sick and having writers block. Anyway, we're back now.

Enjoy!

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

I stare at the door for a long time after the couple leaves. There's this strange nagging in the back of my head that says I'm missing something about those two but I can't for the life of me figure out what it is. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

I'm certain I've never seen either of them before – I think I would remember meeting a woman dressed like that! – but then why would she have lied to me? Sure it's possible that she had been confused and wandered out of a hospital. It's possible. I just don't think she was telling the truth.

No. I know she wasn't telling the truth. She was here for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I grimace as we walk back through the hospital doors, more than unhappy about the fact that I'm here again after breaking out only a handful of hours ago. At least I'm not here as a patient this time, though if I so much as see anyone with a needle there are going to be injuries. Maybe this was a bad idea after all, but I need to know what's going on; especially if Killian is somehow involved.

"Talk to me," I say before Dr. Whale can even open his mouth to say hello – I don't mean to be short with him but I'm already eager to be done with this.

"You really should be resting at home rather than…," Dr. Whale starts before I cut him off with a glare, "…never mind. This way."

My dad and I trail behind the doctor, heading towards the ICU. A shiver runs through me, and I rub at the goose bumps that form on my arms as I recall my own stay in this area of the hospital. That was definitely not a pleasant time in my life – though, admittedly, I really can't remember much of it.

Next to me my dad stiffens and he reaches over to squeeze my shoulder though I'm not sure who he's trying to comfort: himself or me. I can't help but feel a little guilty as I see the pain in his eyes but if I'd ever doubted that my father loves me that doubt would have been erased by the look on his face now.

The uncomfortable fact is that I nearly died in here – one of the things I don't remember. After the fact, however, I found out that I had flat lined on multiple occasions. Apparently there was even one particularly bad night where my heart stopped every thirty minutes or so.

I reach over to wrap my arm around my dad in a brief half-hug, trying to remind him that all of that is behind us and I'm still here. He relaxes slightly, but the pain of his memories still parade across his face and I sigh. Perhaps in time he'll…

"Ruby and Leroy found the boy just inside the line," Dr. Whale's voice pulls me from my thoughts as we stop in front of a room, "there's extensive bruising across much of his body, though nothing really concerning. What is concerning is that he's suffered a deep wound to the front of his skull."

Dr. Whale pulls a few x-rays from a folder and points out the missing portion of the aforementioned bone.

"How is the kid even alive?" My dad asks, looking closer at the pictures.

"There's actually a good percentage of the brain we can survive without," Dr. Whale says, "and this particular injury didn't hit anything vital. There might be a bit of a change in his behaviour – not that we have anything to gauge that by – but otherwise he got lucky. In time he should make a full recovery."

"Any idea who he is?" I ask.

"Not a clue."

"Well then that's where we start," I rub my temples, my head aching slightly, "lets take a look at him, grab a picture and start asking around."

We enter the room and my dad and I stop cold as our eyes find the boy lying in the bed, a number of machines attached to him via a multitude of tubes and wires. Various beeps fill the air and I curse. So much for that plan.

"Well, I suppose that saves a little leg work," my dad groans and I nod, gritting my teeth.

We don't have to try and figure out who this kid is after all.

"You know him?" Dr. Whale asks, clearly puzzled by our reactions.

"Yeah, we do." I grimace, "Dr. Whale, meet Peter Pan."

**x-x-x-x-x**

"You know what we have to do," my dad says quietly as we get back in the cruiser, "we both know what...who is responsible for this."

I push my hair out of my face and stare out the window, my head still throbbing, "I know."

Just because I know what I have to do though, doesn't mean for one second that I like it. The mere thought of having to lock up the man I love – even if he currently doesn't remember me – makes my stomach clench painfully; never mind what my heart is doing inside my chest.

Something is definitely wrong with this picture; I can feel it. Now if only I could figure out what exactly it is.

"You don't have to do this you know," my dad pulls me from my thoughts with a comforting squeeze of my arm, "I can take care of it alone."

"No," I shake my head and give him a weak smile, "thanks for offering but I need to do this myself."

"If you're sure," he smiles back at me.

I am sure, but that doesn't mean that this isn't going to suck.

**x-x-x-x-x**

My bloody head is still pounding and I have no idea why. In all my years I've never experienced a hangover like this. For that matter, I'm not even sure this is a hangover in the first place. I mean, I don't remember drinking…unless of course I drank so much I blacked out – wouldn't be the first time. But then why isn't my mouth murderously dry?

Something is definitely wrong with this picture; I can feel it. Now if only I could figure out what it is.

The creak of footsteps on the deck stirs me from my thoughts and I listen as they make their way down below deck and head towards my cabin. Whoever it is must know their way around the Roger fairly well for their steps to be so sure. That narrows down the list of potential suspects considerably. Still, that list, short though it is, contains several worrisome characters so I draw my sword and prepare to greet my visitor.

**x-x-x-x-x**

Holy fuck! What the Hell hit me? I'd barely gotten the door open when the room spun and I'd been slammed into something soft, a heavy weigh landing on top of me. I struggle but my arms are pinned above my head, my legs spread apart and I'm unable to gain any leverage. As my eyes finally focus on the person ontop of me I still, mesmerized by the impossibly blue eyes staring at me and the lips I've dreamed of kissing again a scant couple of breaths away from my own.

He presses his weight into me and I gasp, heat pooling between my legs as they start to wrap around his hips of their own accord. His eyes widen slightly at my reation and he grinds himself against me, though I'm not entierly sure he's aware of what he's doing. A moan falls from my lips at the delicious friction and I bite my lip to trap anymore that might try to escape. It's a useless gesture though as half a second later his mouth descends on mine.

The kiss is fierce, possessive, brutal and I know my lips will be swollen later but it's just a kiss. This is hauntingly familiar and at the same time so alien that my stomach gives an unhappy heave. There's no electricity, no spark – none of the telling signs that this is the man I love, that loves me. And that's utterly confusing because this man looks just like him.

But he's not.

With a snarl I buck beneath him and throw him off. A startled cry reaches my ears as I dive after him and yank his arms back. With a well practiced motion I have him cuffed and his hook removed before he can put up much of a fight. With a groan – my body still very much interested in going back to what we had been doing – I stand and haul him to his feet.

"Hook, you're under arrest for attempted murder," I say roboticly around a shakey breath, trying to ignore the pit that has taken up residence in my stomach. Something is very wrong here and I'm going to find out what.


	4. The Missing Piece

Later than I'd like…again. Apologies though it seems this fic is going to be updating a bit slower. I blame my muse entirely. Fickle woman has decided to go on holiday lol…

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

He doesn't fight me at all as I shove him into the cruiser and I'd swear it's because he's enjoying himself. At least, that's what the smug look on his face seems to suggest. Then the snide comments about being manhandled by a beautiful woman start and I know he's enjoying this. The fact that he has me blushing like a virgin by the time we get to the station does nothing to curb his ego and I have to take a minute to compose myself before hauling him inside.

I breathe in deeply and tug the collar of my shirt away from my heated skin. The cool air should be giving me goose bumps but right now it feels heavenly.

Perhaps I should have gagged him? No, as amusing as I would have found that, it only would have egged him on and I really don't want to know how creative he would have gotten trying to get under my skin. I should have put a bag over his head. Surely I could have found a potato sack or something.

A groan slides from my lips and I slump against the car door at the image that puts in my head. Killian wearing a potato sack…there's no doubt in my mind that the infuriating man could pull that off either. Of course, thinking of him in a potato sack then leads me to thinking of him without a potato sack…or anything else for that matter and damnit I was trying to cool off!

With a sigh I yank the cruiser door open more forcefully than I'd intended to and go to drag him out only to discover that he has managed to get out of the handcuffs.

"Really?" I ask, the shit-eating Cheshire Cat grin on his face doing nothing to restore my dwindling patience.

"Pirate," he reminds me and for a moment I pause, wondering if perhaps he does remember a little more than I at first thought.

I shrug the notion off though – I'm not getting my hopes up…not yet – and push him ahead of me, "Move."

He complies, thankfully, and I manage to get him in one of the cells with minimal fuss and only four innuendo laced comments. Once he's locked up I bolt for my office, slam the door behind me and sink into my chair with a groan. I run my hands through my hair, more than a bit surprised to find them shaking. Gritting my teeth I force down the panic that is slowly seeping through me – I can't afford another break down, not now.

"Rough day love?" A voice says as a mug is slid in front of me.

Without thinking about it I take a large gulp and nearly choke on the liquid as it burns its way down my throat. Rum.

Looking up I find my pirate sitting across from me, feet crossed on my desk as he leans back in a chair. In the main room I can see the door to his cell hanging wide open and I groan again, dropping my head onto my desk.

Of course. Pirate.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"I thought you were going to lock him up?" My dad asks as he enters the office to the sight of the Captain regaling me with a tale of some exploit or other which, to be honest, I'm only half paying attention to. If circumstances were different he'd have my undivided attention but my head just won't stop pounding. I've downed more pain meds than is probably safe since I got back to the station but they've done nothing to relieve this throbbing in my temples. If anything, the pain is even worse than it was already.

"I was but until our cells have locks that can't be picked with…" I shift my eyes to the pirate.

"…ear wax and belly button lint," he supplies without missing a beat and I stare at him incredulously.

I may not have been really paying attention to him but I specifically remember him telling me a considerably different story of his earlier escape. He's totally fucking with me…and that smug look tells me he knows that I know this.

God I just want to reach over, drag him across my desk and kiss that look off his face.

"Until our locks are slightly better than that what's the point?" I finish.

My dad grunts an agreement and offer a box of donuts which I wave away with a grimace. As tempting as a bear claw normally is, I just don't have the stomach for it right now. Not with everything that's going on at least. Maybe later though, once things have calmed down.

I snort quietly at that thought, trying to ignore the amused look Killian shoots me. Things calm down. Here. Right. As if that's ever going to happen.

Perhaps I'll have that donut after all.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I stare at my half eaten cheeseburger, my appetite having evaporated in spite of my still growling stomach. A french fry dangles from my fingertips, almost forgotten as I absently swirl it through a puddle of ketchup. I've been thinking about it all afternoon, ever since the hospital, but no matter how many times I turn it over in my mind I can't figure out what it is. Killian has every reason to have tried to kill Pan and he's proven in the past to not be above murder. The facts are solid too – I know he did it – but my every instinct is screaming that I'm missing something vital; something is wrong with this situation.

I just have no idea what that something is.

"Mom?...Mom?...Mom!" Henry's voice breaks through my thoughts and I sit up straighter, my french fry landing fully in the ketchup.

"Sorry kid. What's up?"

"You've been spacing out all night," he accuses and I wince, giving him an apologetic look.

Tonight was supposed to be just the two of us: dinner at Granny's and a movie at home – something we haven't done in…Hell, I can't remember. Instead, though, I've been lost in my thoughts the whole time. It's not like I won the 'Mother-of-the-Year' award these past several years or anything. If I don't step up my game I'm not going to even be in the running this time around either.

"Right, sorry, just something at work is bother me," I explain weakly and force those thoughts aside, "I'm here though. What were you saying?"

"You're thinking about Captain Hook, aren't you?" He asks instead, ignoring my question, "About what he did to Peter Pan."

Damn this small town rumor mill. I haven't told a soul either who it was that was brought into the hospital or who put him there. Yet here my twel…fourteen? year old son knows about as much about the situation as I do.

"Yes I'm thinking about Killian," I admit, rescuing my fry and popping it in my mouth, "something's fish about all this."

"So when do we start?" He asks, taking a giant bite out of his own burger.

"Start?" I so don't like where this is heading…

"Operation Tiger…you know, figuring out what's going on," he says without putting his burger down.

"Whoah, whoah…hold on," I shake my head, "I don't think so kid. Not this time."

"Yeah, whatever," he rolls his eyes at me and I groan.

Before I can open my mouth to continue protesting, the bell above the door chimes and Belle practically floats on through. All I can do is stare at her, mouth agape because she's all but glowing. What the Hell…?

The brunette takes a bag from Ruby, pays, and heads back out again, her feet barely touching the ground.

"What's got her in such a good mood?" I grumble into my food, eyeing the door in case we're about to get an encore of that little show.

"What? You didn't know?" Henry stares at me incredulously.

"I'm a little behind on the news," I remind him, a little more snippily than he deserves, "two years in a padded room, remember?"

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes once more, "apparently Mr. Gold came back last night."

"Mr…Rumplestiltskin?" I say, "Wait, when you say 'back' you mean from…"

"Neverland," he grimaces as if simply saying the name is distasteful, "he was gone the entire time you were…sick."

He was gone all that time…? And now he's back. About the same time as… The blood drains from my face and then fills back up again just as quickly as the puzzle piece I'd been missing suddenly materializes and clicks into place. I leap to my feet, barely hearing Henry's startled cry as I knock our drinks over, my vision red.

"Sonofabitch!"


	5. Cry Havoc

This chapter took a little while to come together but it's a part of a scene that I so want to see occur in cannon. Hopefully you enjoy it.

And can I just mention some things here: In "Somewhere Out There" Gold had Pan tossed outside of Storybrooke because there was no magic there. And in "Stormy Hearts" Hook is all set to leave Emma in order to give Baelfire a shot at having his family back together.

Totally called it.

No I don't write for the show. I'm just that good. ;)

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"What did you do?" I demand as I storm into the small shop, Henry on my heels despite my specific instructions not to leave Granny's. I should be mad about him ignoring me but I can't be bothered with that right now – I'll deal with him later.

"Well hello to you too Dearie," Gold starts, limping out of the back room.

"Don't 'Dearie' me," I don't have the patience for the game he's surely about to start so I reach over the counter and haul him off his feet by his collar, "What did you do to Killian?"

"I didn't…"

"Wrong answer," I snarl and turn to drag him outside, ignoring Belle's startled scream as she rushes towards me. The brunette grabs her boyfriend's arm, trying to pull him free at the same time that I feel Gold's body hit an invisible wall of magic. I whirl on him, not letting go. His skin has taken on the scaled green look that gave Killian the impression of a crocodile when they first met so long ago and I level a glare at the reptile that he mirrors.

"You don't want to do this Dearie," He hisses, putting himself protectively in front of Belle. That motion bothers me for some reason but I ignore it; finding out what happened to Killian is all that matters right now.

"Oh you are so wrong," I growl as something inside me blazes to life and I throw my fist at his scaly face.

**x-x-x-x-x**

"Henry? What's going on?" I ask my grandson as I jog up to the pawn shop, my daughter's pirate in tow.

The boy opens his mouth to answer but is interrupted by a blinding flash of light emanating from Gold's shop. I shield my eyes but I'm not quick enough and I already know I'm going to be seeing spots for a while. Right behind the flash comes a roar – or maybe it's an explosion? – and my vision clears up enough for me to see Gold come sailing out of the store.

The older man skids along the pavement before crashing into the front of his car and stopping, the metal crumpling beneath him with an audible crunch. In an instant he's back on his feet, scrapped, bruised, bloody and spitting mad. A ball of purple fire forms in the palm of his hand which he hurls back towards the open door of his shop just as my daughter steps out.

"Emma!" I scream, my body unable to move as the ball of dark magic flies at my little girl.

My daughter doesn't even blink though. She simples slashes her hand through the magic projectile and watches as it explodes into hundreds of tiny fragments that fizzle out harmlessly. She advances on Gold, another ball of fire already heading her way. This one too she deals with as she did the first and then she sends her fist flying at Rumpelstiltskin. Despite the fact that she's nowhere near close enough to possibly hit The Dark One, a dull boom echoes through the air, shattering the windows of his car and pushing the man himself back several feet; the vehicle moving as well as he's pressed up against it.

Purple smoke envelopes Gold and he vanishes, appearing half a step behind Emma, dagger raised.

"Mom!" This time it's Henry who screams but the words are barely out of his mouth before the dagger descends.

Faster than I can comprehend a person being able to move, Emma whirls around, plucks the dagger from Rumpelstiltskin's hand and hammers him across the jaw with the pommel. The Dark One stumbles backwards, hissing, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Now," Emma presses the tip of the dagger to Gold's heart, "what did you do?"

"You wouldn't dare," Rumpelstiltskin glares at my daughter, rage and amusement warring across his face.

"Again," my daughter snarls and for a moment her face twists into something hideous, something clearly not her, before vanishing again, "wrong answer."

All I can do is stare as Emma's muscles bunch to thrust the dagger home but she stops suddenly, confusion filling her eyes. What the…?

"Trust me Ms. Swan, you don't want to do that," Regina says, clearly amused by the situation, as she steps next to Henry, arm outstretched towards Emma and draws her son behind her.

"Back off Regina," Emma growls and the dagger inches closer to The Dark One's chest.

The Queen's feet slip forward on the pavement and with a small grunt she digs in her heels, "No."

Both the dagger and Regina slide forward some more and Gold finally regains his senses enough to start moving away.

"Will you hurry up and get out of here already you damn imp?" The Queen barks as she's dragged forward again, sweat beginning to appear on her forehead.

Without a word, Rumpelstiltskin vanishes in another purple cloud. A scant second later Regina stumbles forward and Emma's hand drives the dagger through the space its owner's heart had just been.

"You!" Emma spins on The Queen where she's doubled over, hands on her knees as she struggles to breathe.

Emma doesn't make it two steps before she stops, her arm dropping to her side as the dagger falls to the ground with a clatter. My daughter stares straight ahead, her eyes vacant before they roll back into her head and her legs give out.

"Emma!" A step is all I manage before a dark blur rushes past me, catching my daughter before she can hit the ground.

Hook kneels on the pavement, cradling Emma like she's the most valuable treasure he's ever found. As I move forward to check that she's still breathing I catch a glimpse of the strangest thing in the Pirate's eyes but, before I can puzzle out what exactly it was, it's gone again. For a second though it almost looked as if he recognized my daughter.

**x-x-x-x-x**

I don't know why I did it. She started to fall and my body just moved on its own, my arms catching her before I knew what I'd done. Sure I'd made several snarky comments earlier but now with her this close and so…vulnerable…I realize the unwitting truth of what I'd said. Gods, she _is_ beautiful. She's beautiful and she just brought The Crocodile to his knees…his knees!...without even breaking a sweat – well, not counting her current lack of consciousness. Not only that, but there's this odd sensation in my chest that gets stronger the longer I look at her.

Absently I reach up to push a lock of hair from her face, my thumb brushing across skin that is sinfully soft and I stop breathing. Why in the world does this feel so familiar? That's not possible though; I only met her last night.

And yet…and yet, I'm equally certain that I've done this before…that somehow I know her…

**x-x-x-x-x**

"What did you do Rumpel?" I demand as I walk into the basement and for an irritating moment he actually has the nerve to look surprised that I knew where he ran to.

"Belle I…"

"Think very hard about the next words that come out of your mouth," I caution him and narrow my eyes, "because I know you must have done something for Emma to have come after you like that. Now, out with it."

He stares at me for a long time and I feel my eye begin to twitch because he is _not_ still thinking of lying to me.

"Rumpel."

"Belle…"

"Get out," I glare at him, "that was not a difficult question, so I suggest you find somewhere else to sleep tonight and tomorrow you can try again."

His jaw pops open and his voice takes on a dangerous edge that doesn't scare me in the slightest, "are you saying that I should sleep on the couch…in my own home?"

"No. I'm saying you should sleep on someone else's couch. Now you have one minute to get out and so help me if you're still here when that minute is up."

He opens his mouth to say something else but I glare at him once more and point to the door, "Tick, tock Rumpel."

A long moment passes before his head droopes and he slinks out without another word. One of these days I swear I'm going to lose patience with him and just introduce him to my fist; maybe finally knock some sense into him. At the rate he's currently going though, that day could be very soon.


	6. The Curse

And we're back! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! Talk about a cliffhanger for the mid-season finale too. But that's old news and you're not here for that.

Enjoy!

_**~The Last Ronin~**_

"Emma," I can't hide my relief that she's ok and I pull her into my arms, crushing her to my chest as I burry my face into her hair, breathing in her scent, "don't ever scare me like that again."

"I'm fine Killian," she mumbles into my neck, her lips brushing over my skin, "I'm just tired is all."

I chuckle, running my hands over every bit of her I can reach. She is ok, I know this, but it doesn't mean I don't want a little more reassurance than what my eyes and gut tell me. Her arms wrap around my waist, pulling herself closer, and I can feel my tension slipping away as she melts against me.

Moving as little as possible my lips find hers and I sigh; home.

I don't know how much time passes before I pull back slightly to look at her. Her eyes are hooded, cheeks flushed and she wears a goofy grin on her swollen lips that I'm sure matches my own. Without hesitation I lean in and begin pressing kisses against her skin, my lips mapping every millimeter of her face until they can navigate it as easily as I do the seas.

"You foolish, brilliant, bloody amazing woman," I punctuate each word with a kiss, "what possessed you to go after The Crocodile like that?"

She shuts me up with another kiss before I can continue, her arms tightening around me and for a moment I forget what I'm angry about.

"I am not going to just sit back while he acts as if nothing happened." She growls, "He did something to you and he's going to undo it or so help me I will end him."

"Easy love," I chuckle, heat singing through my veins – I love this fire of hers, "he had a part in it but I don't think he did this…not exactly."

She levels a glare at me and I wisely shut up because, well, she's not entirely wrong. The Crocodile did do something to me. What exactly that something was though, I've no idea.

**x-x-x-x-x**

A low beeping is the first thing to break through the haze of sleep and I groan; I know exactly what that sound is. For several minutes I try to block the noise out, willing unconsciousness to claim me again, but my body has other ideas and with another groan I open my eyes.

Sterile, disgustingly white room? Check. Various machines? Check. A multitude of tubes hooked into me? Check. Sleeping Pirate? Chec…wait, what?

My eyes fly back to the figure slumped over asleep in the chair next to my bed. His hook gleams wickedly in the dull light filtering in through the window, his hair is a beautiful mess, there're dark circles under his eyes and even a little bit of drool coming from the side of his mouth. I don't think I've ever seen someone look like such an attractive mess before and in spite of that heat flashes through me along with this incredible urge to crawl into his lap to have my way with him.

"See something you like love?" The way he practically purrs that question does nothing to derail my wanton thoughts. He watches me and though he's obviously still half asleep that smirk I love so much still adorns his lips.

"Killian," I breathe and he sits up straighter, eyes snapping open.

For a long several minutes he just sits there, watching me, his face scrunched up in contemplation. I begin to fidget under his scrutiny, suddenly hyper aware of the fact that I probably look like crap right now – considering I've been lying unconscious for however long.

"Who are you?" He says at last and despite already knowing he doesn't recognize me, I feel like I've been punched in the gut, "Who are you that you know my name? Something I've told no one in hundreds of years?"

"I'm…" I start and then pause because we never really got a chance to define what we were…not really. Even so, tears prick at the back of my eyes. What if…? No. No! I won't entertain such thoughts. I can't. I will make him remember me. I will!

"I'm Emma."

**x-x-x-x-x**

I've had a steady stream of visitors these past several days: my parents, Ruby, Archie, Leroy…most everyone in town really. Belle showed up the same day I woke up to apologize about Rumpelstiltskin and to assure me that she was going to get him to tell her what he'd done to Killian and then help reverse it. My pirate had been a bit skeptical to hear that though I think he's started to accept the fact that he does know me and that his old enemy did something to make him forget. I just hope Belle is able to find out what that something was.

The only one I haven't seen so far is Regina…not that I'd expected to see her. According to Henry, though, his other mother has been bed ridden since she stopped me from killing Gold. Apparently our brief struggle had utterly drained her of energy and she's only now starting to be able to move about. From what I understand she was pretty shocked by how much power she had to use to restrain me; no one had thought my magical skills were developed enough to put up that kind of fight, myself included. In truth, I can't help but feel a bit smug about that. I went toe to toe with The Dark One and the former Evil Queen and held my own…more than held my own even.

"What are you smiling about?" Killian's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I look over to the chair he's been more or less living in since I was admitted to the hospital.

"Eh, nothing…just remembering my fight with Gold and the Regina."

"That was bloody brilliant love," he replies, a smile of his own lighting up his face, "seeing you trounce the Crocodile like that."

"It was, wasn't it?" I laugh and poke at my lunch for a moment before giving up on it for now. Looking up though I find my pirate's gaze trained on my tray and I can't stop another laugh from bubbling out as I realize what he's looking at, "Want some?"

"What the bloody hell is this?" He asks as he reaches over to give the blue substance an experimental poke, his eyes widening as it jiggles about on the plate.

"It's Jello," I reply and scoop some of it up with a spoon to offer him, "here, try it, it's sweet."

His entire face lights up once more at the mention of the dessert being sweet and with one last hesitant look he leans towards the waiting spoon, mouth opening.

"Um…we can come back," a small voice interrupts us and I jump, the Jello sliding off the spoon and landing in my lap with a plop.

"No, you're not…," I turn towards the door to find Belle looking at me, a small smile tugging at her lips, her face slightly pink. Behind her stands a very whipped looking Rumpelstiltskin, pointedly looking anywhere but at the scene before him.

"Tell them," the brunette nudges her boyfriend forward sternly after a few minutes of awkward silence.

Gold shuffles nervously from foot to foot before muttering something I can't hear.

"Rumpel!" Belle scolds and smacks him on the back of his head hard enough to make him stumble forward. Besides me Killian's jaw pops open as he stares at the small woman in front of us.

"It's a curse," The Dark One says loud enough to hear, "anyone who tries to kill Pan loses the memories of what is most important to them along with anything associated with those memories."

"So then why didn't I forget about you…or Milah?" Killian asks, glaring at his old enemy and I can't help but cringe a little at the amount of love I hear in my pirate's voice when he mention's Gold's wife.

"Isn't it obvious?" Belle says quietly, stomping on Gold's foot to stop whatever snide remark he'd been about to make, "You didn't forget them because at the time you were hit with the curse they weren't the most important thing to you."


End file.
